President Donald Trump recently announced that Coca-Cola had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in regular Coke sold in the United States. This declaration, shared by Trump on social media, suggested a significant change for the iconic beverage. However, the Associated Press noted that Coca-Cola had not yet confirmed this switch, leading to questions about the actual health implications of such a change.

Currently, American Coke is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a liquid sweetener derived from cornstarch. This is a refined sugar, meaning it originates from natural sources but undergoes processing that removes other nutrients, leaving behind pure sugar. Historically, Coca-Cola initially used cane sugar but transitioned to the more cost-effective high-fructose corn syrup in the early 1980s. Interestingly, many other regions globally, including the version of Mexican Coke often found in classic glass bottles in the U.S., continue to use cane sugar.

Nutrition experts are largely in agreement that replacing high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would not make the soda any healthier. Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, CEO of the NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, explained that while cane sugar might appear healthier due to its